Left’s ‘gun control’ mantra thin on facts

By Kent Sullivan

Published: Friday, January 25, 2013 at 09:06 PM.

Of course, probably well over 99.99 percent of us would like to see the annual homicide rate at zero. Realistically, that would not happen even if the private ownership of firearms was outlawed, because here is another fact: Criminals don’t obey the law! Therefore, could it be that firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens actually save lives?

According to one-time anti-gunner Dr. Gary Kleck, the answer is yes. Kleck concluded that guns are lawfully used about 2.5 million times a year to protect the owner. Furthermore, he found that usually it didn’t even require a shot being fired. That being said and to illustrate the point, let us divide 2.5 million by the 12,397 gun-related deaths in 2011. The sum of this very rough calculation shows that when firearms are used, they are 200 times more likely to be used lawfully to save a life than to unlawfully take one. Eliminate justifiable homicides by law-abiding citizens and law enforcement from the equation and the ratio is even greater. Of course there are firearm-related injuries, but even when those are included, regardless of cause, lawful use far exceeds unlawful misuse.

Undoubtedly, the numbers above have been overly simplified, as there is not time and space available in a letter to the editor to analyze and categorize every firearm-related injury or death as to whether or not it was justified, unintentional, hunting related, a result of gang-on-gang violence, etc.

The numbers above were used to illustrate the disparity between the factual truth and left’s propaganda as well as to show that Obama and the politicians seeking to deny us our Second Amendment rights are intentionally avoiding an open, objective and honest discussion.

The “common sense” mantra that is being repeated by everyone seeking greater infringement on our Second Amendment rights is evidence of their active avoidance of factual information.

Instead, they are relying on demonizing gun owners. They’re relying on subjective statements such as “common sense” and emotionally charged refrains such as “protecting our children” and “if it only saves one life” to make their case.

It is a fact that Sandy Hook happened — as have other massacres throughout the history of our country. Additionally, not to trivialize the tragedy at Newtown, it is also a fact that President Barack Hussein Obama supports murder of the unborn — also known as abortion — and the number of abortions occurring in the United States every year according to the Centers for Disease Control approaches 750,000.

So why should we fear Obama’s so-called common-sense gun control measures? Well, despite his recent back-peddling claims to the contrary, the facts are, just to name a few: He is on record opposing all private ownership of firearms; he supports a ban on all semi-automatic firearms; advocates federal law overriding state laws; and banning concealed carry by law-abiding citizens. In fact, there is not an infringement on our Second Amendment liberties — despite the Supreme Court ruling that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right — that Obama has not openly embraced.

The current population of the United States is around 312 million people living in 133 million households. The estimates for the number of guns in civilian hands range from 270 million to more than 300 million. A Gallup Poll a few years ago put the number of households with at least one gun at 47 percent, which is around where most of the other estimates fall and roughly equates to at least one gun in every other home. Though it is impossible to nail down an exact number, we can extrapolate that there about 156 million gun owners or about half the total population of the US.

In 2011, there were around 12,397 gun related deaths in the U.S. — not including suicides; however, that number does include justifiable homicides by law enforcement and law-abiding citizens. Regardless, to make a point let us just all go to fantasy land and pretend they were all unjustified and committed by private citizens. With a little simple math, it is evident that that of the 156 million gun owners, 155,987,603, or well over 99.99 percent, did not use a gun to commit a murder. Even when gun-related injuries, regardless of cause, are factored in, the change in percentage is negligible.

Of course, probably well over 99.99 percent of us would like to see the annual homicide rate at zero. Realistically, that would not happen even if the private ownership of firearms was outlawed, because here is another fact: Criminals don’t obey the law! Therefore, could it be that firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens actually save lives?

According to one-time anti-gunner Dr. Gary Kleck, the answer is yes. Kleck concluded that guns are lawfully used about 2.5 million times a year to protect the owner. Furthermore, he found that usually it didn’t even require a shot being fired. That being said and to illustrate the point, let us divide 2.5 million by the 12,397 gun-related deaths in 2011. The sum of this very rough calculation shows that when firearms are used, they are 200 times more likely to be used lawfully to save a life than to unlawfully take one. Eliminate justifiable homicides by law-abiding citizens and law enforcement from the equation and the ratio is even greater. Of course there are firearm-related injuries, but even when those are included, regardless of cause, lawful use far exceeds unlawful misuse.

Undoubtedly, the numbers above have been overly simplified, as there is not time and space available in a letter to the editor to analyze and categorize every firearm-related injury or death as to whether or not it was justified, unintentional, hunting related, a result of gang-on-gang violence, etc.

The numbers above were used to illustrate the disparity between the factual truth and left’s propaganda as well as to show that Obama and the politicians seeking to deny us our Second Amendment rights are intentionally avoiding an open, objective and honest discussion.